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24 Oct 2025
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24 Oct 2025
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Money well spent: Patrick O'Donovan and Tom Neville celebrate their election
CLLR Emmett O’Brien was the highest spending candidate in Limerick during last year’s general election campaign, it has been revealed.
According to documents published by the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO), the independent candidate spent a total of €28,200.11 which equates to €5.19 for each of the 5,432 first preference votes he received.
According to his Election Expenses Statement (EES), Cllr O’Brien spent €7,766.81 on posters while €9,790.68 was spent on other election material – including fliers.
He incurred expenses totalling €2,675 relating to travel including minibus hire (€1,000), diesel (€700) and the ‘lease of cars’ (€975).
By law, every candidate who seeks election in a four-seat constituency, can spend a maximum of €37,650 on their campaign while the limit for three-seat constituencies is €30,150.
Each candidate is also required to submit an EES detailing the monies they spent between February 3, 2016 and polling day on February 26, 2016.
According to the documents, only one other candidate – Cllr Richard O’Donoghue – spent more than €20,000 although a number of candidates allocated part of their allowance for use by their respective political parties.
According to Cllr O’Donoghue’s EES, he spent a total of €13,560.30 on ‘signs, posters and car magnets’ while €2,652.06 was used on ‘diesel for campaign team’ and ‘tyre replacements’.
Of the candidates who were elected, Tom Neville spent the most amount of money.
Election posters accounted for €11,962 of his total spend of €17,736. Deputy Neville spent €2,992 on other election material and €660 on diesel and stamps.
According to her EES, former minister, Jan O’Sullivan, refunded €174 to the Department of Education and Skills for photocopying and stationary. She also refunded a portion of Cllr Joe Leddin’s salary as he is employed as her parliamentary assistant.
Elsewhere, Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan spent a total of €13,376.64 including €440 on ‘cable ties’, €230 on ‘lapel stickers’ and €418.21 on ‘Hi Vis vests’.
AAA councillor Cian Prendiville spent €9,301.96 including €964.75 on ‘billboard trailer hire’ and €2,822.80 on 95,000 leaflets and ’DL Cards’.
James Gaffney of the Green party spent €45 on shoes while Sarah Jane Hennelly of the Social Democrats paid €1,050 on ‘office rental’ and €20 on ‘public transport’.
According to SIPO, only two candidates – Nora Bennis and Alexander Storey-Cosgrave stated they did not incur any expenses.
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ELECTION EXPENSES INCURRED BY CANDIDATES IN LIMERICK AND LIMERICK CITY CONSTITUENCIES:
ELECTED CANDIDATES:
TOM NEVILLE
Advertising: €2,122
Election Posters: €11,962
Other election material: €2,992
Office and stationery: €660
TOTAL: €17,736
PATRICK O’DONOVAN
Advertising: €3,414
Election posters: €6739
Other election material: €6075
Office and stationery: €300
TOTAL: €16,528
NIALL COLLINS
Advertising: €6,150
Election Posters: €7,958
Other Election materials: €1,400
Office and stationery: €1,666.65
TOTAL: €17,174.65
MAURICE QUINLIVAN
Advertising: €2,767.5
Other Election Material: €5301.23
Office and stationery: €37.23
Transport and Travel: €116.79
TOTAL: €11.421.51
MICHAEL NOONAN
Advertising: €2,140.68
Election Posters: €7,991
Other Election Material: €2,494.96
Campaign Workers: €750
TOTAL: €13,376.64
JAN O'SULLIVAN
Advertising: €4,842
Election Posters: €5,800
Other Election Material: €2,221
Office and stationery: €1,040
TOTAL: €13,893
WILLIE O'DEA
Advertising: €1155.8
Election Posters: €6005.47
Other Election Material: €1386.60
Office and stationery: €710.05
Transport and Travel: €100
TOTAL: €9357.92
UNELECTED CANDIDATES
DESMOND HAYES
Total- €1,909.18
JAMES HEFFERNAN
Total- €14,693.36
SARAH-JANE HENNELLY
Total- €6,125.6
CIAN PRENDIVILLE
Total- €9,301.96
RICHARD O'DONOGHUE
Total- €22,598.18
KIERAN O'DONNELL
Total- €16,868.56
JAMES GAFFNEY
€2,141.73
EMMETT O'BRIEN
Total- €28,200.11
NORA BENNIS
Total- €NA
SEAMUS BROWNE
Total- €10,668.05
ALEXANDER STOREY-COSGROVE
Total - €0
MARK KEOGH
Total: €80
Information: Standards in Public Office Commission
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